Auto signaling device



' Jan. '26 1926. 1,570,721

F. M. BALDWIN AUTO SIGNALING DEVICE V Original Filed 001:. I6, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HM'oR VM FREDER/C/(M 54mm,

JaLn. 26 1926.

F. M. BALDWIN AUTO SIGNALING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 16, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I/HGIH'OR: EMF/a M 134mm,

flrrommlcsr Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE- I FREDERICK M. BALDWIN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AUTO SIGNALING DEV-ICE.

Application filed October 16, 1922, Serial No. 534=,804. Renewed June 27, 1925.

the movement or position of a display member. The traflic upon public thoroughfares has, with the increase of the number of au' tomobiles in use, become very heavy and the congestion in the business sections of the city requires the attention of special ofiicers who are provided to direct the movement of the tratiic. In practically all cities signals have beendevised by which the driver of an automobile may indicate to the other drivers and pedestrians the change in direction of travel, or stop, he intends to make. In most instances this signal is done 'withzan eX- tended hand, the different positions of the armindicating whether the driver'intends to turn to the right or the left or intends to make a diminution in the speed at which his machine is traveling.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device in which signaling by meansof the extended arm of the driver is simulated, thus providing a mechanical means for imparting a signal which cannot be mistaken by others because such signal is accomplished by the movement of a replica of the human hand secured upon an extensible arm which is adapted to be mechanically e.

tended in the same positions employed when signaling manually.

It isan object of the invention to provide a signaling device of this. character which is simple in construction and economical of.

manufacture, and which may be easily attached to a vehicle and is particularly adapted to use upon trucks having ex tremely large bodies which are of such width that the extended. hand of the driver. or the ordinary type of traffic signal, cannot be seen by trafiic following the machine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple and expedient. means whereby the trafic signal maybe operated conveniently by the driver of the Vehicle.

Ihe particular advantages of my invention and further objects thereof will be made evident hereinafter. ,0

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view illustrating the manner in which a. signal embodying my invention may be attached, to the dash ,board of an auto truck, in a position in which the signal arm may be seen by traffic following the auto truck.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the extendedsignal shown in Fig. 1, the cover plate thereof being removed for the purpose of showmg the arrangement of parts upon the interior-of thecasing. FigQB is an enlarged view ofthe casing shown. in Fig. 2, showingthe lazyztongs comprising the extensive arm and the display means in the. form of retracted :therewithin.

Fig. 4 is .a section taken upon a plane re1.. resented bythe line 4-4of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the end of the'lower primary arm of the lazy tongs, showing the novel formof latch means I employ.

Fig. 7 .s a fragmentary section taken g ponsa plane represented by the line 7-7 of Fig. 8 isan enlargedelevational View of theoperating mechanism shown in .place upon the instrument board in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken upon a plane represented-by the line 9+9 of Fig. 8. V

Fig. 10 is a, horizontal section takenupon a plane represented by the line ].0-1() of Fig.9.f. f *ig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the means by which the slow and right leversare operated simultaneously by the left lever. v

In Fig. 1, 15 represents the instrument board of an auto truck. In the customary construction of trucks, the'cab in which'the driver is seated will accommodate two persons and the truck bodyv situated directly behind the cab often extends considerably to each side of the cab so that from the rear .the driver and any signals which he may a human hand loo driver situated within the cab to note the movement of the following traflie in a mirror 19 situated upon the casing 17, and which will permit the display 20 to be plainly seen by the drivers of following vehicles.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the display means comprises a lazy tongs 22 having a hand 23 secured at the outer end thereof, and having primary links 24 and 25 at the inner end thereof by which the lazy tongs are secured to adjacently placed pivot posts 26. hen the lazy tongs are collapsed so that the display is in retracted position, as shown in Fig. 3, the primary links 24 and 25 are held against stop pins 28 by latch members 29 which pivot at 30 to the underside of the primary links and are engaged indicated at 35 and has an opening 36 therein, through which the end 37 of the spring 32 passes, and a hole 39 through which op erating cable 40 is attached. The action of the spring 32 rotates the member 29 in a direction indicated by the arrow 42, thus maintaining it resiliently in a latching position, and through the member 29 the rotating force of the spring 32 is transmitted to the link 24 and 25. The spring 32 provides a coil 43, which is placed over the pivot posts 26, and rearwardly extending ends 44 which rest against a short-projecting pm 45.

The cable 40, which connects to the latch member 29 mounted near the lower end of the link 25, extends diagonallyupwardly and forwardly over a sheave 45 and from thence passes over sheaves 46 and 47 through the hollow mounting arm 18. Another operating cable 48 which is connected to the latch member 29 situated near the upper end of the primary link 24, passes diagonally downwardly and forwardly over a sheave 49 which is mounted adjacent to the sheave 46 and from thence passes over a sheave 47 through the arm 18. By so extending the cables 40 and 48 diagonally as shown a pull may be exerted upon the primary links 24 and 25, which pull will be substantially tangential tothe arcs which the ends of the arms describe as they move forwardly under the pulley action of the cables.

Bv pulling upon the cable 40 it is possible i to extend the lazy tongs in a diagonally upward position, as indicated by the dotted lines 53 in Fig. 2; or by pulling upon the cable 48, to extend the lazy tongs diagonally downwardly as indicated by the'dotted lines 54; and by pulling upon both cables 40 and 48 simultaneously to extend the lazy tongs 22 horizontally as indicated by the full lines 55. In this manner the customary signals may be given by the driver when a change in the movement of his machine is contemplated.

In most of the machines now in use, the driver is seated upon the left hand side and a horizontal extension of his left arm indicates an intended turn to the left, while a diagonally upwardly extension of his arm indicates a turn to the right, and a diagonallv downward extension of his arm indicates his intention to stop. It will be perceived from Fig. 2 that these three extensions of the display 20 may be accomplished by selectively pulling upon the cords 40 and 48. The manner in which the pull is ex crtcd upon the cables is by the operating mechanism, shown at 56 in Fig. 1 and illustrated in detail. in F igs. 8 to 11., which mechanism will be hereinafter fully explained.

The first action caused by pull upon an operating cable is to rotate the latch member 29 connected therewith against the action of the spring 32 so that the book 33 is disengaged from the pin 28, thus permitting the arm 25 to be rotated by the continued pull of the cable. It will be perceived that in Figs. 6 and 7 that the point at which the cable 40 attaches to the member 29 is somewhat forward of the center of thearm 25, thus providing an increased leverage which considerably adds to the ease by which the lazy tongs may be extendet. hen the lazy tongs are extended diagonally as indicated at 53 and 54, the entire extension thereof is accomplished'by the movement of one of the primary links,-the' other primary link remaining latched against its pin 28. hen the lazy tongs are extended into the position indicated at 53, the link 25 assumes the position indicated at 58 in Fig. 2. When the lazy tongs are as indicated at 54 the link 24 assumes the position indicated by the dotted lines 59 in Fig. 2.

The cables 40 and 48 extend inwardly through the supporting arm 18 which extends along the rear of the instrument board 15 and is secured thereupon by a suitable clamp 60. The supporting arm 18 is preferably made of pipe and has a portion thereof bent forwardly as shown at 61 for the purpose of mounting sheaves 62 over which the cables 40 and 48 extend. Upon the front of the instrument board 15 directly in front of the inner end 63 of the arm 18, operating levers 64, 65, and and 66 are mounted upon a bifurcated bracket member 68. The upper ends of the arms 64, 65 and 66 are provided with grips 69, and the upper portions of the arm 64 and 66 are bent diagonally outwardly, as shown in Fig. 8, in order that each of the grips 69 may be gripped separately.

The lever is situated between the lever 64 and 66 as shown, and on the outside of Fig. 2.

a pawl 72 which pivots upon a pin 7 3 and is retained in engaging position with the ratchet by springs 74. Slightly to the rear of the pin 73 a vertical bar 75 extends, having a plate 76 thereupon which is adapted to engage the inner ends 77 of the pawls 72, when the bar 7 5 is drawn downwardly by depressing the foot lever 78 against the action of the spring 79. By depressing the foot lever 78 it is possible to disengage the pawls 72 from the latch 7 O. The cable 40 is attached to the lever 64 at 8.1 and the cable 48 is attached to the lever 66 at 82. By pulling the lever 64 forwardly, as indicated by the dotted lines 83 in Fig. 9, a pull may be exerted upon the cable 40 which will cause the lazy tongs 22 to lieextended into the position indicated by the dotted lines 53 in Likewise, the pulling forward of the lever 66 will exert a pull upon the cable 48 and cause the lazy tongs 22 to be extended into the position indicated by the dotted lines 54 in Fig. 2. WVhen either of these levers 64 or 66 is pulled forwardly, it is maintained in the forward position indicated at 83 by the engagement of the pawl 72 with a latch 70 until released by depressing the foot lever 7 8. The simultaneous pulling of both cables 40 and 48 is accomplished by the lever 65 whichhas outwardly extending pins 85 mounted thereupon which engage notches 86 in the edges of the levers 64 and 66, so that when the lever 65 is pulled outwardly, the levers 64 and 66 are engaged by the pins 85 and are caused to travel outwardly therewith, thus exerting a simultaneous pull upon cables 40 and 48 and causing the lazy tongs 22 to be extended horizontally, which position indicates an intended turn to the left.

A plate 87 is customarily mounted upon the instrument board having thereupon the letters R, L, and S indicating the'words, right, left and stop, indicating the lever to be pulled in order to indicate the desired signal effect. A bumper 89 is mounted upon a bracket 90 to receive the impact or the levers as they are returned upon the release of the pawls 72 from the ratchet 70 by the operation of the foot lever 78.

The novel and simple means I employ for adjustably securing the mirror 19 upon the casing 17 consists of mounting a ball 92 centrally upon the back of the mirror, and depressing the front 93 of the case 16 as indicated at 94 into which depression the ball 92 is pressurably held by a plate member 95 which may be bolted or riveted as shown and pressurably holds the ball 92 in the de pression 94 so that the mirror will not displace under the ordinary vibration of the car but may be manually ad usted to give the desired rear sight. This lnvention, al-

though shown in use upon a truck, may be employed with any typeof commercial or pleasure automobile. Theadjustable feature of the mounting arm 18 makes it adaptable to use under various conditions.

elsewherewithin the drivers compartment and provides an easy means for operating the signal device to give the desired signal.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automobile signal of the class described, the combination of: a support; an extensible display member, including lazy tongs mounted upon said support; and means for exerting a forward pull upon said lazy tongs in the direction of their extension to cause their extension.

2. A device, as in claim 1, in which said means for exerting a forward pull exerts said pull upon the primary links of said lazy tongs.

3. A device, as in claim 1, in which said means for exerting a forward pull exerts said pull upon, and at the outer ends of, the

primary links of said lazy tongs.

4. A device, as in claim 1, in which said means for exerting a forward pull upon said lazy tongs includes sheave members situated upon said support forward of the point at which said lazy tongs are mounted thereupon, and flexible members connected to said lazy tongs and extending over said sheave members.

5. A device, as in claim 4, in which said flexible members are connected to certain link members of said lazy tongs, at points remote from central point of pivot of said links.

6. A device, as in claim 4, in which said flexible members are connected to the primary links of said lazy tongs.

7. A device, as in claim 6, in which said flexible members are connected to the primary links of said lazy tongs at points near the outer ends of said links.

8. A device, as in claim 5, in combination with latch members by which said flexible members are connected to said links, "and pins adapted to be engaged by said latch members.

9. A device, as in claim 1, in combination with resilient means for normally maintaining said lazy tongs in collapsed position.

10. A device, as in claim 8, in combination with resilient means for normally maintaining said lazy tongs in collapsed position and said latch members in positions susceptible to engagement with said latch pins.

, 11. A device, as in claim 10, in which said latch members consist of hooked plates, and said resilient means consists of spring members engaging said plates.

12. A device, as in claim 7, in which said flexible members exert a pull, upon said pri- The operatlng means 56 which I employ maybe located at any'point upon the instrument board or mary links, substantially tangential to arcs described by said links when moved-under action of said flexible members.

13. A device, as in claim 10, in which said latch members consist of hooked plates, and said resilient means consists of spring members engaging said plates; and in Which device said flexible members exert pulls, upon said primary links, substantially tangential to thearcs described by said links when 1 moved under action of said flexible members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 10th day of October, 1922.

FREDERICK M. BALDWIN. 

